In a bid to resolve a long-running and controversial saga, the Johnson & Johnson unit that sells over-the-counter medicines has agreed to plead guilty to a misdemeanor and pay a criminal fine of $20 million for selling adulterated infant and children products. The McNeil subsidiary also agreed to forfeit $5 million, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The move comes six years after McNeil first received complaints about unusual particles in bottles of Infants’ Tylenol, but failed to conduct needed investigations to determine the cause or how to prevent a recurrence. By reaching the plea agreement, J&J hopes to put behind it an episode that eroded confidence among consumers, physicians and investors, although a key manufacturing plant remains offline. Read More »

About Pharmalot

Pharmalot explores the fast-moving, complicated world that develops and markets medicines – and the drug makers that are attempting to replenish their pipelines while grappling with pricing and regulatory dictates, among many other challenges. Writer Ed Silverman has covered the pharmaceutical industry for nearly two decades and has closely followed the many hurdles facing drug companies as they move ideas from the laboratory to the medicine chest. He started Pharmalot while at The Star-Ledger of New Jersey and previously worked at New York Newsday and Investor’s Business Daily. Email Ed Silverman at ed.silverman@wsj.com, and follow him on Twitter @Pharmalot.